PETERSON SFB & FORT CARSON CHILD CARE CENTERS PAUSE ENROLLMENTS DUE TO STAFFING ISSUES
Bases in the Colorado Springs area are facing staffing issues at their child care centers. As a result, multiple facilities have stopped taking in more kids from their waitlist. Both Peterson Space Force Base and Fort Carson families are facing rising child care costs at the same time affordable options seem to be shrinking.
Military Child Care Centers Are Pausing Enrollments Due to Lack of Staff
Child care centers at Peterson SFB and Fort Carson in Colorado are facing major staffing shortages, an ongoing problem that is now leading to classroom closures and paused waitlists.
According to memos confirmed by base officials, both installations are struggling to hire enough qualified staff, challenges tied to the lasting effects of the Trump-era federal hiring freeze, but do have histories going back to the Biden administration.
A memo from Peterson’s daycare center said one infant classroom would shut down by April 11, 2025, because there isn't enough staff, with another memo from Fort Carson blaming the hiring freeze for its inability to bring on new personnel.
As a result, military families are in a bind because the centers are pausing enrollments from their waitlist, and while both bases are working to resolve the issue, many are now left scrambling for reliable child care in the meantime.
DOGE Strikes Again
Although the problems facing child care centers have been ongoing, they’ve become exacerbated by the push from President Donald Trump and his administration.
Primarily, the cuts that have been directed at the hand of billionaire Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency, aka DOGE.
Under the direction of DOGE, as many as 60,000 civilian jobs within the DoD are up for cuts and despite an eventual exemption from a hiring freeze for staff at these centers, facilities are still feeling the pressure.
Disenrollment Becomes Inevitable
Despite hiring freeze exemptions, staffing issues persist at Peterson Space Force Base’s child development center.
One infant room will close on April 11, impacting multiple families. They were asked to transfer to a nearby preschool at the same rate. If they didn’t volunteer, those with the lowest priority were disenrolled.
The closure aims to maintain safe child-to-teacher ratios, and officials are working with affected families to ensure continued care
All of this is happening at the cost of military families, despite studies that have shown child development centers are understaffed as a whole well ahead of time.
How Families at Peterson SFB are Affected by Day Care Center Staffing Issues
Peterson SFB is home to over 20,000 military members, civilians, and families, yet staffing shortages continue to strain child care services.
Despite hiring freeze exemptions, delays in hiring and training persist. One infant room at Peterson’s child care center will close, while Fort Carson also faces enrollment issues with limited alternatives for families.
Advocates say families are left scrambling, relying more on off-base support as military-run child care struggles across multiple states.
For those in the Centennial State, it’s an extra expense and concern felt deeply among military households.
Colorado Springs is an area facing elevated child care costs, as the annual average for one child is over $19,500, compared to the national average, which hits $15,600 on the highest side of the range.
It’s clear that military families are facing a lot of pressures, including other economic pressures and the threat of cuts to federal contracts and jobs in the area.
Disenrolling students is a domino falling in the long chain of events that has left these centers without the right level of staffing to care for military children the way they deserve.
It’s a situation with no easy solution, made worse over time, and is now directly at odds with the current administration.
If you or someone you know is in need of affordable child care solutions because of the cuts, the Military Child Care in Your Neighborhood-PLUS (MCCYN-PLUS) program is available in Colorado to help families find affordable options in their area.
Source:
Child Care Costs in Colorado: A Breakdown for 2025, TOOTRiS. Accessed April 2025. https://tootris.com/edu/blog/parents/child-care-costs-in-colorado-a-breakdown-for-2023/
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